compass plant

  1. a coarse plant (Silphium laciniatum) of the composite family, with large, bristly leaves and heads of yellow flowers, found on the prairies of central U.S.: the leaves reputedly point in a north-and-south direction
  2. any of various other plants whose leaves supposedly point to the north and south

See compass plant in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
A perennial herb (Silphium laciniatum) in the composite family, native to prairie regions of the Midwest United States and having radiate yellow flower heads and erect, basal, pinnately divided leaves.
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